The popular winter destinations seem to have their due for this winter season, as they are the occupancy reaches 100% for the dates of the Christmas and of New Year's Day.
This also applies to hoteliers in mountainous areas where in the four days of 28 October the occupancies reached 100% in all popular winter destinations, while high occupancy rates were recorded on almost all weekends in November.
The season in the country's winter destinations starts, depending on the weather conditions, from the end of October and lasts until mid to late February. The “full” season for owners of properties registered on short-term rental platforms, is mainly the period of Christmas and New Year, Epiphany, as well as the two- and three-day periods starting particularly from mid-November to the end of January.
Back to the seasons of 2019
As stated in ertnews.gr, the president of the Panhellenic Network of Real Estate Agents E-Real Estates, Themistocles Bakas, this winter season seems to leave the covid-19 pandemic behind and return to the seasons of 2019.
The pre-booking rate in all popular winter destinations is already over 90%, both for Christmas and New Year's days.
In Metsovo and Karpenisi there is zero availability for the Christmas days. While, high occupancy rates are also recorded for travelers who will manage to have time off from work from 20/12 Monday to Friday 24/12. During this period, pre-bookings to popular destinations range from 80% to 95%. As for the New Year's days, in Portaria and Kastoria they record zero availability, while high pre-bookings of 79% to 95% are recorded for the period from 27/12 to 2/1, which proves that those who have managed to secure a holiday permit will definitely move to the popular winter destinations of our country.
The high rates of pre-bookings recorded, relate exclusively to real estate available and registered on short term rental platforms do not concern hotels and/or pensions. At the same time, it should be stressed that the capacity, registered apartments and/or houses in many winter destinations is limited.
In Arachova the pre-bookings for the Christmas days reach 98%, with just 20 homes available for rent. The total accommodation cost of 714€ is for a 90sq.m. chalet with 3 bedrooms.
In Metsovo, zero occupancy is recorded for the Christmas days for an entire apartment and/or detached house, while those who wish to stay on New Year's Eve, they should be aware that the cost for 2 nights starts from 350€ and pre-bookings reach 96%.
The city of Ioannina is a traditional destination for winter getaways both for the residents of the prefecture of Etoloakarnania via the Ionian Road and for the residents of Thessaloniki via Egnatia. At the same time, the city of Ioannina records a high number of visitors throughout the winter months. Domestic excursionists choose Ioannina both for two- and three-day excursions and for the holiday season because of the historical sights and the good shopping. Pre-bookings reach 96% for Christmas days and the availability is limited to only 31 houses, while for the days of New Year's Day pre-bookings reach 93%.
In Kalavryta for the Christmas days, the pre-bookings reach 92%, with the asking rental prices for an entire apartment and/or detached house ranging from 480€ to 730€. The apartments available for rent that the potential traveller could look for were mainly from 55sqm to 75sqm. Apartments that can accommodate up to 6 people, always depending on the policy of the property owner-manager. On New Year's Day, pre-bookings reached 92% with rental costs for 2 nights ranging from 450€ to 570€.
Trikala Corinthia are a destination that emerged mainly at the beginning of the memorandum years. The proximity and the good road network both from Athens and from the capital of Achaia, have “placed” Trikala Corinthia on the map of popular winter destinations in our country. At the current time, pre-bookings for Christmas are reaching 95%, with asking rental prices for an entire apartment and/or detached house ranging from 360€ to 1.100€. It is worth mentioning that the upper rental price is for a detached chalet with 2Y/D 72sqm. At the same time, pre-bookings for the New Year's days reach 95% and rental costs from 670€ to 1.000€ for 2 nights.
Intense mobility is also recorded in the winter destinations of the Prefecture of Arcadia, with availability in Dimitsana and Levidi being almost zero for the Christmas days. The good road network that connects Athens with the Prefecture of Arcadia, has highlighted the Arcadian winter destinations in recent years as “must” destinations both for the holidays and for two- and three-day getaways during the winter months. Pre-bookings today for the Christmas days in Dimitsana and Vytina and Levidi have reached 96%, while the requested rental prices ranged from 270 € to 800 € in Arcadian destinations. While, for New Year's Day pre-bookings range from 92% and rental rates for 2 nights start from 500€.
The Karpenisi seems to prefer both Athenians who want to escape during the Christmas days and get close to nature and residents of both Fthiotida and the neighboring prefectures. Pre-bookings for the Christmas days have reached 100%. Today, availability is recorded in neighboring villages such as Koryschades with the cost of rental to be 188 € / night, in Megalo Chorio with a rental cost of 412 € / night, in Nostimo with a rental cost of 376 € for two nights and in Agios Nikolaos with a requested rental price per night at 100 € for a house with 1Y / D. More fortunate at this point in time are the excursionists who will want to stay during the New Year days with the cost for 2 nights starting from 350€ and pre-bookings reaching 96%.
In Kalambaka, pre-bookings today reach 96%, with the cost now ranging from 410€ to 540€ for Christmas days. On New Year's Day, the cost ranges from 200€ to 570€ and the pre-booking rate at 89%.
This winter season will be recorded high mobility and very high occupancy rates both in properties registered on short term rental platforms and in hotel units on all winter weekends, holidays and especially on public holidays.
